Coventry City 4 Barnsley 3

Joe Cole's first goal for Coventry helped the Sky Blues to a thrilling victory over Barnsley in League One.



Ryan Kent's solo effort put City ahead and Adam Armstrong turned in Aaron Phillips's cross to double the lead.

Alfie Mawson pulled one back for the Tykes after the break, but Armstrong doubled his tally moments later.

Josh Scowen's low shot gave Barnsley hope, but Cole's free-kick sealed the win, despite Scowen adding his second from the penalty spot late on.

Barnsley remain 22nd in the table after a seventh consecutive league defeat, while Coventry stay fourth, one point outside of the automatic promotion places.

Joe Cole scores for Sky Blues in thrilling victory



Adam Armstrong’s fifth double of the season and maiden Sky Blues goals from Ryan Kent and Joe Cole just about tipped the scales as City made desperately hard work of killing off the Tykes.

The relegation-zone visitors produced an admirable second-half rally to keep themselves in contention and the home fans were desperately calling for the final whistle when Aaron Phillips conceded an injury-time penalty to close the gap to a single goal.

Cole made his delayed home debut while Jim O’Brien and Kent were upgraded to the starting line-up after their impact off the bench in Saturday’s about-turn triumph against Peterborough

And it took Kent precisely 122 seconds to make his mark this time as Ricketts and Stokes shifted the ball down the left and gave the Liverpool prospect the opportunity to turn inside, cut along the 18-yard line and swerve a superb shot just inside Davies’s far post for the first goal of his loan spell.

The home fans’ exhilaration – which, as is the scatological trend these days, focused more on Barnsley’s deficiencies than their own side’s success – was tempered as City made life unnecessarily tight for themselves with a sequence of short goal-kicks.

But the Tykes were confined to a long-range free-kick which Mawson blazed yards over the bar before Mowbray’s men turned the screw.

Wabara was booked for illegally halting another Kent sprint – referee Bull setting a very low bar for yellow card offences – and Saturday’s match-winner Armstrong then got in on the act.

Davies denied him when he dashed through the middle to shoot from just outside the area. But the goalkeeper didn’t have a prayer in the 17th minute as the Sky Blues crafted an early contender for move of the season – Fleck switching play with a magnificent diagonal ball and Phillips cutting back an inch-perfect pass for Armstrong to smack home a first-time right-footer.

The game went through a scrappy phase as City controlled proceedings without really threatening to overwhelm the Tykes – Wabara providing the only real excitement when he flirted with an early exit by handling midway in his own half.

City stepped up the pace in the closing stages of the half – Davies clutching Fleck’s angled drive and Cole miscuing an attempted lob with the keeper out of position.

But the Sky Blues almost gave away a ridiculous goal just before the break, Charles-Cook playing Fleck into trouble with another short pass and recovering just in time to grab the ball off Pearson’s toes.

Suitably encouraged, Pearson tried his luck from the centre-circle at the restart, and although the keeper was alert, his clearance was picked up by the visitors and Pearson burst through for another shot that flashed past the near post.

Inexcusably, City didn’t take heed of the warning when Barnsley maintained their momentum to force a 52nd-minute corner and Scowen picked out skipper Mawson for a glancing header past the exposed Charles-Cook.

Order seemed to have been restored when Armstrong banked his fifth double of the season, sprinting on to an inspired first-time flick from O’Brien to slide a calm side-foot finish past Davies,

But Barnsley responded inside two minutes, Scowan firing home as City appealed in vain for handball.

The moment the crowd had been waiting for arrived just shy of the hour as Mawson fouled Armstrong 25 yards out – earning a card for his trouble – and Cole rolled back the years with an immaculately-flighted free-kick into the top corner.

But, to their huge credit, Barnsley refused to wilt and those home supporters’ nerves were jangling as Charles-Cook clawed away Mawson;s back-header at full stretch, Scowen just cleared the bar, substitute Wilkinson produced two good attempts – one charged down, the other just wide – and a reasonable penalty appeal was rejected Charles-Cook scrambled at Winnall’s feet.

Barnsley then produced a five-spell of intense pressure that was akin to a training ground exercise as City were stretched to the limit pumped cross after cross into the home box.

And there was one final twist, in the fourth of six injury-time minutes, as Phillips handled under pressure from substitute Jackson and Scowen sent Charles-Cook the wrong way from the spot.

Fan crashes into Ricoh Arena shipping container after Coventry City win



A football fan had to be taken to hospital following Coventry City FC’s win over Barnsley last night after he crashed into a shipping container at the Ricoh Arena.

Emergency services were called to the stadium’s car park after the Sky Blues’ 4-3 League One victory over the Tykes.

The 80-year-old supporter was trapped in his car for about an hour and had to be cut free through the roof.

Once freed, it emerged the man had suffered two separate head injuries and a suspected broken hip.

He was taken to University Hospital Coventry for further treatment.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “The car suffered significant damage in the collision and that, together with the injuries suffered by the man, meant it was a difficult procedure to free him.

“Following assessment in the vehicle, it became apparent the man had suffered two separate head injuries and a suspected fractured hip.

“Crews began treating the man and immobilised him in order to ensure he was kept as still as possible whilst being freed from the car.

“He was freed through the roof of the vehicle, which had been cut off by the fire service.

“Following further treatment at the scene, he was transported to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further assessment.”

A spokesperson for the Ricoh Arena said: “An 80-year-old driver was involved in a collision in Car Park A after the Coventry City v Barnsley game.

"He was treated at the scene by emergency services and taken to hospital. No other parties were involved in the accident.

"We wish him a speedy recovery.”